Silver Spring man arrested in rapes, abductions of two Howard women

December 20, 1992|By Arthur Hirsch | Arthur Hirsch,Staff Writer

A man wanted in the abductions and rapes of two women in Howard County this year and suspected in three similar attacks Montgomery County dating back to 1990 was arrested yesterday afternoon in Bethesda, police said.

William K. Evans, 51, of Rhapsody Lane, Silver Spring, was arrested in the parking lot of Suburban Hospital.

Mr. Evans -- a senior systems analyst for the United Mine Workers Health and Retirement Fund in Washington -- is charged in attacks in suburban Mount Airy and Dayton in western Howard County.

In a case that occurred about 11 a.m. on Nov. 23, a man entered a house in the 17000 block of Frederick Road in Mount Airy, wielding a rifle or shotgun, and forced a 22-year-old woman into his car.

Police said he blindfolded the woman, tied her hands and drove to another house and assaulted her.

The woman was released several hours later in Laytonsville, Montgomery County, about 11 miles away.

In a second case at about 10:45 a.m. on May 14, a man carrying a shotgun or rifle broke into a home in the 14000 block of Triadelphia Road in Dayton and abducted a 19-year-old woman, whom he drove to another house and raped, according to records.

She was blindfolded and bound in her home.

She was released hours later at a commuter parking lot near U.S. 29 and Route 216, police said.

Officer Ann Evans, spokeswoman for the Montgomery County Police and no relation to the suspect, said yesterday that Mr. Evans is a "very strong suspect" in three burglary-rapes there in July 1992 and in September and April 1990.

In all three cases, Officer Evans said, the armed assailant broke in and raped the victim in her home.

The attacker was armed once with a revolver, twice with a knife, she said.

No arrests have been made in the Montgomery County cases, Officer Evans said.

She said that the victims will be shown photographs of suspects, including Mr. Evans. Police will also analyze physical evidence for identification.

Howard County police Sgt. Gary Gardner said Friday afternoon that a Howard County detective spotted a car in a driveway in the Tanglewood development in Silver Spring that matched the description of the car used in the Mount Airy attack.

The detective was checking the area near U.S. 29 because several burglaries and rapes have occurred there.

Police traced the license plate number on the white Dodge Colt to Mr. Evans and found that he had been arrested in Prince George's County. A court document showed he was arrested in 1980 on charges of kidnapping and assault with intent to rape.

Investigators matched a fingerprint from the prior arrest record to a print lifted from the scene of the Mount Airy abduction, police said.

Officers from Howard and Montgomery counties searched his house yesterday morning but found only his wife and daughter home.

They learned later he had voluntarily checked into Suburban Hospital last week. But when police got to the hospital, they found he had checked out.

Shortly before 4 p.m., a Montgomery County police officer spotted Mr. Evans sitting in a vehicle in the hospital parking lot and placed him under arrest.

Howard County police charged Mr. Evans with two counts each of rape, kidnapping, sex offenses and burglary.

He was being held at the Howard County Police station last night pending his appearance before a District Court commissioner.